Orion XS 12/12-50A charging batteries but not updating SOC

I’ve had my Victron system installed in my VW Transporter for 7 weeks. It was professionally installed, and the wiring has been checked and confirmed as correct. The setup is a 900Ah system.

The Issue

When the alternator is charging the batteries, the State of Charge (SOC) does not update correctly. By contrast, the SOC updates as expected when on 240v hookup or when charging via solar, based on the charge added to the system.

The problem is that the system shuts down when the SOC display drops to 10% – even though the batteries are actually full.

Why I Know the Batteries Are Full

  • Based on the charge added by the alternator since the SOC last showed 100%, it equates to just over 90% of the battery capacity.

  • The solar charger confirms this, as it stops charging once the batteries are full – even though the SOC on the Cerbo GX MK2 display is still showing well below 100%.

  • Example: If I use the inverter at a high load when SOC is at 100%, it may drop to 80% (approx. 720Ah remaining). The solar will then recharge the batteries to ~99.8%. But if I start the engine for an hour before solar has completed charging, the SOC will not go above ~95% without connecting to 240v.

Workaround

The only way to reset it is to plug into 240v for about 20 minutes. Initially it charges at around 1,600w for a couple of minutes, then gradually drops to about 10w over the next 10 minutes. At that point the SOC suddenly jumps back to 100% and everything works again.

Additional Observation

In the app for the Orion XS 12/12-50A, there is never any history shown. It also displays the operation time as 58d(screenshot attached).

Question

Has anyone else come across this?

Common problem in vehicles and boats where the alternator negative current flows through the engine and hence hull / chassis. The chassis ground is often connected directly to the negative of the leisure battery, it needs to go to the load side of the shunt. Many posts on the community with professional installers missing this.

See the DIY FAQ.

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